Sign with bracket

ABSTRACT

Especially useful for advertising on top of gasoline pumps, a two-sided sign constructed from folded sheet material such as plastic or cardboard has the side edges joined and sealed by glue providing an overseas cap-like arrangement and the bottom edges along the bottom opening each has an inwardly bent tab fitting into a respective side of the bracket which comprises a case attached by pressure sensitive tape to the top of the gas pump and depressions or indentations on each side of the case in which the sign tab fits. A bottom plate on the case with an upturned edge provides a bottom channel in which the depending side plates of a top cover cap extend to provide a closed slot overlying the respective indentations in which fit the tab thereby making it difficult to displace the sign from the bracket.

United States Patent 1191 Farmer et al.

[451 June 5, 1973 541 SIGN WITH BRACKET 3,290,813 12 1966 Rose ..40 129 c [75] Inventors" ggrg 3 i: zi 1 :3; Primary Examiner-Robert W. Mic he1l ofGa' Asszstant Exammer-John F. P1trell1 Attorney-Patrick F. Henry [73] Assignee: said Farmer, by said Hanson, Atlanta, Ga. [57] ABSTRACT [2 Filedl J 1971 Especially useful for advertising on top of gasoline pumps, a two-sided sign constructed from folded sheet 15234] material such as plastic or cardboard has the side edges joined and sealed by glue providing an overseas (52] U.S. Cl. .40/125 H, 40/10 R, 40/129 C cap-like arrangement and the bottom edges along the [51] Int. Cl ..G09f 07/00 bottom opening each has an inwardly bent tab fitting [58] Field of Search ..40/l25 H, 1 25, 124.1, into a respective side of the bracket which comprises a 40/10 R, 11 R, 129 C case attached by pressure sensitive tape to the top of the gas pump and depressions or'indentations on each [56] References Cited side of the case in which the sign tab fits. A bottom late on the case with an u turned ed e rovides a UNITED STATES PATENTS bottom channel in which the depending sid: plates of 3,256,628 6 1966 Green ..-....-.....40 124.1 a top cover'cap extend to Provide a closed 810i y- 3 37 ,5 3 19 snedikcr" 40 1251-1 ing the respective indentations in which fit the tab 2,466,599 4/1949 Larkin ..40/l24 1 thereby making it difficult to displace the sign from 3,162,965 12/1964 Snediker ...40 10 R the bracket, 3,327,415 6/1967 Pearson ..40/10 R 3,225,475 12/1965 Shank .....'.....40/129 C 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SIGN WITH BRACKET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Display devices and brackets for holding signs and the like. Advertising signs and brackets which hold the edge of the signs in place. Brackets and supports with slots in which edges of signs are inserted.

2 Description of the Prior Art The prior art includes brackets for holding signs which have channels closed by spring means or the resilient pressure of the channel material. In such arrangements the sides of the channel are forced apart by insertion of the sign. This arrangement is not too satisfactory for outdoor use such as on the top of a gas pump where occasionally there is high wind and also people are bumping the top of the pump and the sign from time to time. The problem is that of holding a simple folded sign arrangement in place on the top of something like a gas pump where the sign is easily removed and replaced but at the same time at a complete cost that is not prohibitive for the use intended. More elaborate arrangements employing spring means and latches will hold the sign in place but these devices are too expensive and are difficult to manipulate in replacing the signs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By providing a resilient tab on the bottom of the sign which drops into place in a covered indentation on the bracket the sign is held firmly in place and is not easily displaced from position. The cost is minimized by using a housing or casing with slanted sides covered by a simple cover plate and a simple bottom plate easily fastened by pressure sensitive tape or epoxy cement to the top of the support. A simple bent tab on the sign drops into the indentation to substantially prevent displacement once in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present sign and bracket in place on a typical gas pump.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the. bracket and sign .of FIG. 1 with a portion of the sign broken away.

FIG. 4 is a perspective assembly view of the bracket.

FIG. 5 is an inverted perspective view of the bracket case or housing.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of aportion of the sign prior to folding illustrating the unfolded tab on the bottom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 the complete sign and bracket combination is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises a double sided display sign designated generally by reference numeral 12 comprising a display side 14 on each side which has typical advertising material 16 thereon and with reference to FIG. 6 it is noted that the sign 12 is folded about its center 18 and the respective side edges 20 are brought together in superposed and coextensive relation and glued together to form one solid edge which creates a sort of overseas-cap-like arrangement with the display sides 14 curved rather than flat and with the bottom of the sign open in the manner clearly seen in FIG. 3 about bottom edges 22 extending from the glued edges 20. Sign 12 is held firmly in place on a bracket designated generally by reference numeral 26 through the engagement of respective tabs 28 on the bottom edge 22 of each side 14 of the sign 12. Tabs 28 are bent inwardly for insertion on the bracket as shown in the manner of the dotted lines in FIG. 3.

Bracket 26 comprises a base 27' which is a casing or housing molded from plastic or die cast from metal or otherwise formed with a hollow inside as shown in the inverted view in FIG. 5 having suitable transverse web reinforcement 32 molded therein together with screw receiving collars 34 inside the casing 27. There are two screw receiving collars 34 in the present embodiment in which are screwed the attachment screws 36 that hold in place the cover 38 which is a bent plate having depending and angularly extending side flaps or edges 40 and a top 42 in which are respective screw holes 44 for the screws 36.

The base 26 is provided with slanted sides 48 somewhat complementary and corresponding with the depending sides 40 of the top 38 and also a flat top 50 in which are screw holes 52 through which are inserted the screws 36 into the collars 34 to hold the cover 38 firmly in place but since the angularity of the side plates 40 is not exactly the same as the angularity of the sides 48 of the bracket 26 there is a space designated generally by reference numeral 56 extending between each edge of the side plates 40 and the sides 48 at each end and into which the tab 28 of the sign 12 may be inserted and permitted to flap by virtue of some memory of the material generally into the position shown in FIG. 2 which places the edges of the flap 28 in line to engage the inner edges 60 next to each side 48 thereby preventing withdrawal of the tab 28 except by positive manipulation with a knife or screwdriver or some similar implement.

The sign is prevented from dropping out of the bracket by means of a bottom support designated generally by reference numeral 62 constructed from a flat plate having a bottom 64 and upstanding sides 66. Holes 68 in the bottom 64 receive assembly rivets 70 to attach the bottom plate 64 firmly in place as a permanent part of the base 27.

The bracket 26 may be attached to the top 74 of the gas pump which gas pump usually includes a window 76, a setting dial 78 and other conventional things which do not form any part of the present invention but only provide the support for the bracket. Bracket 26 may be attached to top 74 by any suitable means such as the double sided pressure sensitive tape of the sort sold by the 3 M Company under the trademark SCOTCHMOUNT Product No. Y-9l22. Cement such as epoxy may be used or in cases where the proper metals are involved a magnet may be employed. The tape 80 as shown in FIG. 2 in place on the bottom 64 and is also shown in the assembly view of FIG. 4 wherein it still has the cover sheet 84 on one side and the cover sheet 86 on the other side which is broken away to show the sticky part of the tape that is attached to the bottom of the plate 62.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention together with a suggested use on a gasoline pump and also mentioned various methods of attachment to the pump this is by way of illustration only and such specifications are subject to change since there are various alterations, ramifications, elucidations, combinations, omissions, departures, additions and changes which may be made in the form shown and described without departing from the scope of my invention as defined by a proper interpretation of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a display sign with support means to be attached to a surface such as the top of a gas pump:

a. a support including a base having slanted sides on opposite sides thereof,

b. a channel for receiving an edge of the sign extending along the base at the bottom of each side thereof,

c. a protrusion extending in a direction from top to bottom on said base along the ends of the slanted sides,

I d. a sign retaining member extending from the top of said base downwardly over each respective slanted side and being spaced from said side to define a space into which an edge of the sign may be inserted,

e. a double sided display sign made from cardboard,

plastic and the like and having a connected top, coextensive side edges and an open bottom with spaced edges, each respective edge of said sign bottom being bent and inserted into the channel and thence upwardly behind the respective sign retaining member and into the space defined by said sign retaining member and the respective slanted side, said bent edge having some memory after being bent whereby it tends to return in the direction from which it was bent whereby said edges bend back after insertion thereby falling into place towards said slanted edge placing a portion in alignment with the protrusion on the base to prevent dislodgment of the sign from the base.

2. The device in claim 1: said base being a hollow housing having the slanted sides formed therein and a top thereon, a plate extending from said top over each of said slanted sides and being spaced therefrom and the bottom edge of said plate projecting into said channel.

3. The device in claim 2: said respective channels being formed by means of a flat plate having bent edges extending upwardly in spaced relation to the slanted sides of said housing.

4. The device in claim 3: said plates over said slanted sides being part of a cap which has a center portion attached to the top of said housing.

5. The device in claim 4: a double-sided adhesive strip for attaching said display sign and support means to the top of the stand, one side of said tape being attached to said bracket and the other side being attached to said stand.

6. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein said sign has-a small tab on each of the bottom edges and each of said tabs initially being bent and folded on said sign for insertion in said channel between the edge of the channel and the slanted side but said folded side having a memory and after being released bending away from said sign to engage the respective edges of said slanted sides to prevent withdrawal.

7. The device in claim 1, said sign retaining member being a cap having plates extending over said slanted sides.

8. The device in claim 7: said channels being defined by a bottom plate having inwardly bent edges.

9. The device claimed in claim 8: said base being attached to said bottom plates by means of screws and said bottom plate being attached to the surface by means of a double sided adhesive strip. 

1. In a display sign with support means to be attached to a surface such as the top of a gas pump: a. a support including a base having slanted sides on opposite sides thereof, b. a channel for receiving an edge of the sign extending along the base at the bottom of each side thereof, c. a protrusion extending in a direction from top to bottom on said base along the ends of the slanted sides, d. a sign retaining member extending from the top of said base downwardly over each respective slanted side and being spaced from said side to define a space into which an edge of the sign may be inserted, e. a double sided display sign made from cardboard, plastic and the like and having a connected top, coextensive side edges and an open bottom with spaced edges, each respective edge of said sign bottom being bent and inserted into the channel and thence upwardly behind the respective sign retaining member and into the space defined by said sign retaining member and the respective slanted side, said bent edge having some memory after being bent whereby it tends to return in the direction from which it was bent whereby said edges bend back after insertion thereby falling into place towards said slanted edge placing a portion in alignment with the protrusion on the base to prevent dislodgment of the sign from the base.
 2. The device in claim 1: said base being a hollow housing having the slanted sides formed therein and a top thereon, a plate extending from said top over each of said slanted sides and being spaced therefrom and the bottom edge of said plate projecting into said channel.
 3. The device in claim 2: said respective channels being formed by means of a flat plate having bent edges extending upwardly in spaced relation to the slanted sides of said housing.
 4. The device in claim 3: said plates over said slanted sides being part of a cap which has a center portion attached to the top of said housing.
 5. The device in claim 4: a double-sided adhesive strip for attaching said display sign and support means to the top of the stand, one side of said tape being attached to said bracket and the other side being attached to said stand.
 6. The device claimed in claim 1, wherein said sign has a small tab on each of the bottom edges and each of said tabs initially being bent and folded on said sign for insertion in said channel between the edge of the channel and the slanted side but said folded side having a memory and after being released bending away from said sign to engage the respective edges of said slanted sides to prevent withdrawal.
 7. The device in claim 1, said sign retaining member being a cap having plates extending over said slanted sides.
 8. The device in claim 7: said channels being defined by a bottom plate having inwardly bent edges.
 9. The device claimed in claim 8: said base being attached to said bottom plates by means of screws and said bottom plate being attached to the surface by means of a double sided adhesive strip. 